News Update

Eagerly waiting for Historic Clash Against India; say USA skipper Aaron Jones

USA to clash with India Today at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium

In an eagerly anticipated matchup, the United States cricket team is set to face India at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on June 12. As the excitement builds, USA vice captain Aaron Jones expressed confidence and determination ahead of the World Cup match.

"We are excited to play against India at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, but we are going to treat it like any other game to be honest," Jones stated. "We want to play fearless cricket, we want to play smart and hard cricket, and we are going to do that tomorrow for sure."

The USA team enters the match with significant momentum, having recently defeated Pakistan, the finalists of the T20 World Cup held in Australia in 2022. This victory has bolstered the team's confidence and highlighted their capability to compete at the highest level.

As the USA prepares for this high-stakes encounter, the players are focused on maintaining their aggressive yet calculated approach. The match against India is expected to draw a large crowd, reflecting the growing popularity of cricket in the United States and the international interest in this historic fixture.

The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, known for its world-class facilities, will provide the perfect backdrop for this thrilling contest. Cricket fans from around the globe will be watching closely to see if the USA can continue their impressive run and challenge the cricketing powerhouse that is India.

With both teams aiming for victory, the stage is set for an exciting and competitive match. The outcome will not only impact the standings in the World Cup but also contribute to the ongoing development and recognition of cricket in the United States.

Big Relief for Jammuites as JPDCL Withdraws Power Curtailment Schedule

Jammu, May 29: In a significant development, the Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL) has announced the immediate withdrawal of the power curtailment schedule, ensuring round-the-clock electricity supply in smart metered areas.

The announcement was made by JPDCL’s Managing Director, Vikas Kundal, through a public notice. Kundal highlighted recent improvements in power infrastructure, including the addition of capacity and repairs to critical transformers at the Samba and Miran Sahib grid stations, as the primary reasons for this decision. Specifically, a 2x50MVA, 132/66KV transformer at Grid Station Samba and a 10MVA, 33/11KV transformer at Miran Sahib have been upgraded.

“JPDCL will provide 24x7 power supply in smart metered areas and up to 20 hours of power supply in other areas,” stated the notice. However, it also cautioned that distressed curtailments might be necessary to protect critical infrastructure amid soaring electricity demand due to high temperatures and a severe heatwave. The public has been urged to use electricity prudently and ensure timely payment of dues.

During his visit to the State Load Dispatch Corporation office, Kundal reviewed the power availability for the Jammu region. He announced that the purchase of an additional 200 MW of power would facilitate smooth, uninterrupted supply to smart metered areas and reduce curtailment hours in rural areas. Accompanying Kundal were Chief Engineer Distribution Manhar Gupta, Chief Engineer System and Operations Rajan Gupta, Executive Engineer IT&C Anil Verma, and Executive Engineer, ED-II Ashok Chibber, among others.

Kundal issued immediate directives to plan maintenance and repair works to avoid inconvenience to the public, specifically prohibiting long-hour outages even in rural areas during peak summer. He also mandated no shutdowns during this critical period.

The visit also brought attention to the operational inclusion of a 160 MVA, 220/132 KV Auto Transformer at the Gladni grid by the Jammu and Kashmir Power Transmission Corporation Limited (JKPTCL). This transformer, now running in parallel with a 400 MVA Auto Transformer bank, is expected to alleviate infrastructure challenges and reduce forced curtailments caused by transformer overheating.

Furthermore, Kundal emphasized cracking down on illegal electricity connections to protect honest consumers. He reviewed the SCADA system at the Gladni Grid, praising the technological advancements that enable efficient monitoring and control of the power distribution system.

This move is seen as a substantial relief for Jammuites, promising more reliable power amid the region's challenging summer conditions.

My aim is to win medal in Olympics: Manika Batra

Bangkok (Thailand): Manika Batra's bronze medal at the ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup tournament on Saturday have raised expectations for her winning a medal at the Olympics which is going to take place in Paris in 2024. The star Indian paddler is not taking too much pressure and wants to keep her focus.
"I think the Olympics is not too far away it will come soon and of course, my aim is to win a medal over there but like I always say that I will focus on short-term goals but my main focus is to win a medal in Olympics and beat top players over there so it is important to keep on focusing on my upcoming tournaments. So, I will just keep on going step by step and let's see what happens there. I will always give my best for my country and winning and losing are a part of the game. In the Commonwealth Games, it did come but this tournament meant really something to me. I will just keep on going like this and performing my best," said Manika Batra while speaking to ANI.
Manika beating some top Asian paddlers like world no. 7 Chen Xingtong of China in the opening round followed by beating world no. 6 defeating Hina Hayata of Japan has made her one of the favourites to win a medal at the Asian Games which will be played in Hangzhou.
"I think I will keep working hard but I will just focus on the upcoming back-to-back tournaments. I have to start training immediately after returning. I will just focus on that but Asian Games is a big tournament so there also I will give my best like I have been doing. I will keep on focusing on my practice and put the hard work that I have been putting in my training. I will just keep going on," said Manika.
The 27-year-old Manika has a lot to achieve in the coming years and the star Indian table tennis player is looking forward to giving her best to win medals in major sporting events like the Olympics and Asian Games.
"I will just give my best and try to win a medal over there but I don't want to pressure myself like this but yes I will just give my 100 percent. Of course, a player just does not go there to play. It is their hard work which people don't know. When I go there I will give my best for my country and for myself and those who are supporting me," said Manika Batra.
Manika Batra's historic feat has increased the expectations of Indian fans and indeed this win will boost her morale and confidence for the upcoming Asian Games scheduled in China next year.

Lukaku out of first two World Cup games: Belgium source
Doha, Nov 20 (PTI): Romelu Lukaku will not play for Belgium at the World Cup until at least their final Group F match against Croatia, a team source told AFP on Sunday.
The forward did not take part in the Red Devils' first proper training session since they arrived in Qatar on Friday as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.
Lukaku is Belgium's all-time top scorer with 68 goals in 102 appearances and was called up to their World Cup squad despite coach Roberto Martinez admitting he was not fully fit.
"It would be better for us if he was there for the first game (against Canada on Wednesday), but I cannot tell you when he will be back," Atletico Madrid midfielder Axel Witsel told reporters.
"The most important thing is how he feels. I was in his place in the last European Championship when I came back from an injury and I'm sure we'll have Romelu back very soon."
Lukaku has endured a difficult past 18 months, moving back to Inter Milan on loan after a dismal season with Chelsea.
However, the 29-year-old has played just twice for Inter since August after first picking up the injury in a 3-1 defeat at Lazio.
He returned to action in style last month, scoring in a 4-0 win against Viktoria Plzen that ensured Inter's passage to the last 16 of the Champions League but he then injured his hamstring again a few days later.
Martinez has to decide who will replace Lukaku up front for the clash with Canada. Fenerbahce forward Michy Batshuayi started in Belgium's one warm-up match before the tournament, a 2-1 defeat to Egypt on Friday.
Batshuayi was replaced by Lens forward Lois Openda, who pulled a goal back in the 76th minute of the clash in Kuwait City.
Belgium also take on Morocco before meeting 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia at the start of next month as they try to improve on their run to the semi-finals four years ago.
Martinez's team have long been dubbed the country's "Golden Generation" but with several among the Spaniard's core group either in or nearing their 30s Qatar could be their last chance to be crowned world champions.
"For a group of players in the team this will be the last one, that's why we really want to give everything we have," said Witsel, 33.
"We have more experience (than in 2018) but time will tell in this competition.
"We went on a extraordinary run in 2018 as we were individually and collectively on top form, and we want to reproduce that here."